Apparatus for feeding semiliquid materials.



A. SCHRUDER.

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING SEMILIQUID MATERIALS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 6, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

ATTORNEYS COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co wAsmNqToN, D. c.

A. SCHRUDER. APPARATUS FOR FEEDING SEMILIQUID MATERIALS.

Patented July 6, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 6, 1914.

WITNESSES A. SCHRO'DER.

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING SEMILIQUID MATERIALS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 6, I914.

1 14,,1 A Patented July 6, 1915.

3 SHEETS- HEET 3.

COLUMBIA PLANOCIRAI'H C0..wAsmNflToN, D.

AAGE SCI-IRGDER, OF BERNSTORFF, DENMARK, ASSIGNOR T0 IE. L. SMIDTH & 00., OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING SEMILIQUID MATERIALS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 6, 1915.

Application filed October 6, 1914. Serial No. 865,294.

To all 207mm it may concern Be it known that I, AAGE SOHRODER, a subject of the King of Denmark, residing at Bernstorif, Denmark, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Feeding Semiliquid Materials, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

This invention relates to apparatus for feeding semi-liquid materials and is concerned particularly with such apparatus when used for feeding slurry into rotary kilns during the manufacture of Portland cement. The modern tendency is to employ very long rotary kilns for the burning of the slurry and to use a number of such kilns in conjunction with a common source of supply of slurry. This practice necessitates the use of devices for transferring slurry from the common source of supply to the respective kilns and such transfer must be regulated so that the rate of flow for each kiln shall be in accordance with the capacity of such kiln at any given time. In the operation of the kilns it is necessary further that the burning of the slurry be carried on under the supervision of a skilled burner and that the discharge of the material from the burner end be continuous and uniform and the burned material be of the desired character. Needless to say, all of these operations, besides others, well known, require constant attention and ordinarily necessitate the employment of several attendants. i

It is the principal object of this invention to provide improved feeding apparatus for the slurry which shall require very little attention on the part of the burner, and which includes devices whereby the rate of flow of the material can be constantly observed and regulated by the burner froinhis position at the discharge end of the kiln.

A further object is to provide improved means for controlling the inflow of slurry to the kiln and particularly to arrange such means with respect to the supply tank so as to facilitate the quick cut off of the supply of material whenever the feeding devices become deranged.

Still another object is to provide improved connections between the controlling valve for the slurry and the controlling mechanism at the discharge end of the kiln which shall be simple in construction, easy to mount in desired position and equipped with an initial adjustment for positioning the valve without disturbing the condition of the controlling mechanism.

The invention seeks further to provide apparatus of the character described which shall be generally simple in construction and not liable to injury or to clogging of passages by the material to be fed and which shall include means affording ready accessibility to the various passages to permit cleaning thereof and the dislodgment of accumulated material.

Another feature of the invention resides in the improved mechanism at the discharge end of the kiln whereby the control valve may be readily positioned by the burner and the rate of flow of material for any position of the valve ascertained from a suitable in dicating scale. This mechanism also includes means for locking readily the valve in any desired position.

In accordancewith the invention a tank is provided to receive slurry and this tank communicates with individual feeding tanks,

one for each kiln. Each of the individual feeding devices is equipped with an im proved control valve which is formed generally of a conical member or needle coiiperating with an opening in a diaphragm disposed in a passage between the tank and the kiln, and this needle is connected by means of a table or the like with a setting mechanism at the discharge end of the kiln, which setting mechanism is under the control of the burner and permits the burner to position the needle and regulate the flow of slurry to the kilns respectively without leaving his post at the discharge ends of the kilns. The needle valve described permits the slurry to pass into the measuring tank by which the exact rate of flow may be determined from time to time, as necessary.

The invention will be described more particularly with reference to the accompanying drawings in which the apparatus is shown as applied to a modernkiln and as forming part of a complete plant for carrying on the burning of slurry.

In these drawings.Figure l is a view, partly in side, elevation, of a plant for carryingon the burning of slurry and showing a modern kiln to which slurry is fed through the improved feeding apparatus. Fig. 2 is a view in plan of the distributing tank from which the slurry may pass to the respective kilns, four improved feeding devices being shown in conjunction with the distributing tank. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view, partly in vertical section, showing the improved feeding apparatus and its relation to the distributing tank. Fig. 4 is a view in end elevation of a part of the connection between the controlling valveand the setting mechanism. Fig. 5 is a view, partly in vertical section, of the setting mechanism for the controlling valve. Fig. 6 is a view in front elevation thereof, showing particularly the indicating scale. Fig. 7 is a view in horizontal section taken through the standard of the setting mechanism on the plane indicated by the line 77 of Fig. 5, and looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 8 is a view in plan of the setting devices corresponding to the feeding apparatuses as shown in Fig. 3. r In F ig. 1 it has been sought to show th relative dimensions of the constituent parts of a plant for burning slurry and the arrangement of such parts with respect to each other, thereby emphasizing the importance of devices for permitting the feed of slurry into a'kiln to be regulated by the burner from his usual post at the burning end of the kiln; Hitherto, it has been the practice for an attendant to watch closely the feed of slurry into the feed end of the kilnoand to vary, from time to time, the position of theinlet valve as his experiencedictated. In the improved plant, the kiln 64 receives slurry fromany convenient source of supply, indicated generally by the tank I), through a feed pipe 6, leading from a pump 6 to a distributing tank 0, from which the slurry passes through a discharge pipe 0 communicating with the bottom of said tank 0 to a supply pipe d, which has its end disposed within the mouth of the kiln. When the supplyof material to the distributing tank becomes excessive, such excess portion may be returned to the main supply tank b, as through an overflow pipe 0 As indicated in Fig. 2, the illustrated embodiment contemplates the provision of a single such overflow pipe 0 and two feed pipes 1), al-

though it is evident that the number and disposition of such pipes may be changed under varying conditions of use.

Referring now to Fig. 3, it will be seen that the passage of slurry from the tank 0 to the inflow pipe (Z is controlled by a needle valve or conical member 6 mounted to cooperate with an opening f formed in a diaphragm f, which is disposed transversely in a vertical pipe 9 with which the pipe 0 communicates. The pipe 9 may be secured to one side of the distributing tank 0, as by lugs g, and may afford not only the valvetank 2' communicates with the inflow pipe (Z.

The valve 0 is suspended in operative position in the opening 7 on a cable 6, or the like, which extends up and over a pulley k, thence downwardly and around a second pulley Z and thence vertically upward where it is connected to the underside of a weight m. To the upper side of the weight at is secured a second cable 0", which is, in effect, a continuation of the first named cable 0. The cable 0 passes upward and over a third pulley a, and thence to the discharge end of the kiln (1, across other guide pulleys 0, if necessary. At the discharge end of the kiln is a setting mechanism for the valve 0, which comprises generally a vertical standard 7) on the cap 7) of which is mounted in a fork 79 a pulley 7) over which passes the cable o and a counterweight Q mounted slidably in said standard 7) and connected to the free end of the cable. The outer face of the standard 72 carries a scale 1) with which cooperates an index finger carried by the weight g, the scale readings being such as to indicate at all times the relative position of the valve c with respect to the aperture f and, therefore, the rate of flow of the material into the kiln a.

Referring specifically now to some parts of the improved apparatus which have been referred to only generally, it will be noticed that the supporting pulley 7: around which the cable 6 is passed, is carried on a threaded spindle passing through the head piece it and having cooperating therewith a threaded hand wheel 70 by means of which the pulley k can be raised or lowered bodily for the purpose of varying the position of the valve 6 with respect to the aperture 7,

without, however, disturbing the position of the counter-weight q in the standard 7) and the scale reading of the index finger 9'. In this way, it is possible, at all times, to compensate for changes in the position of the valve by reason of changes in the condition of the apparatus. On the head piece it is also mounted a pulley n, as on a fork 11/, the latter being swiveled on the head piece and susceptible of rotation, thus facilitating the mounting of the apparatus in the first instance. On the head piece It is also supported, in a vertical position, guide rods h, on which slides the counter-weight on. These rods it have secured to their lower lOO ends a bracket 71.2 on which rest'springs 72. encircling the rods respectively and constituting buffers to limit the downward movement of the counter-weight m as, in case the cable 6 breaks. The bracket k is connected further with a vertical rod 7%, carried also by the head piece 71., and from the bracket is supported the pulley Z. The construction described above emphasizes the unity of the head piece h with the various pulleys and their supports, whereby all of such parts may be mounted in position on the tank 0 or detached therefrom, with the greatest ease. It is to be noted further that the support of the head piece through the pipe 9 and the lugs g is such that it may be rotated thereon, as indicated in Fig. 2, to expedite the mounting of the devices in the first instance.

The disposition of the three pulleys on the head piece 71. is of importance in two respects in that it gives the supporting cable 6 6 a direction such that, if either portion of the cable break, the needle valve 6 will seat by gravity and cut off immediately the flow of slurry to the kiln, and further, in that the pulley k may be adjusted so as to position the needle valve 6 initially with respect to the aperture 7 without disturbing the adjustment of the index finger on the scale 72 of the setting mechanism.

What has been termed the setting mechanism also includes certain novel structural features which will now be considered in detail. As has been pointed out before, the

1" is oscillated to bring the eccentric portion in operative engagement with the washer. In this manner it becomes possible for the burner to lock the counterweight g in position in the standard when the finger q is at the desired point, and to unlock the weight g from such fixed position whenever it becomes desirable to move it and read just the position of the needle valve 6, in the manner hereinbefore described.

Another feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a tapered valve t secured to a handle 25 and arranged to fit a correspondingly tapered outlet '5 in the measuring vessel z" or a similar outlet 0 formed in the discharge pipe 0 for the tank 0. If it is desired to clean any portion of the connecting vessels or channels between the tank 0 and the kiln, the valve t is seated position of the scale finger in the tapered mouth a so as to cut off the flow ofslurry through the pipe 0 without interrupting the flow of slurry to the tank 0, it being understood, of course, that the excess slurry is returned to the tank Z) through the overflow pipe 0 In carrying on the cleaning of the passages between the tank 0 and the kiln it may be desirable to have free access to the pipe 9, especially in the neighborhood of the valve 6 in order to dislodge accumulated material, and such access maybe efiected through a cleaning door 9 Other use for the valve t may be found when it is desired to. know the rate of flow of slurry into the kiln. This rate can be determined by placing the valve t in the flaring mouth 2' of the measuring vessel z" and ascertaining the length of time which it takes the slurry to fill the measuring vessel. The volume of this vessel being known, it becomes simple to calculate the rate of flow. When it is considered that this calculation will be made with the needle valve 6 in a determined position with respect to the aperture 7 and with the index finger g at a determined position on the scale 9 it will be appreciated that the burner is enabled to change the rate of flow readily by changing the relative g. If slack creeps into the cable or other conditions of the apparatus change the true indications of the index finger 9 such factors may be compensated for by adjustment of the wheel 70.

The improved apparatus described herein has been designed with reference to its use in connection with a modern plant for burning slurry and includes generally all the essentials of a successful apparatus for the purpose intended, but it will be understood that changes in the details of construction thereof and rearrangement of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, provided such changes and rearrangements fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention 1. Apparatus for feeding slurry, including a tank, a discharge passage therefrom, a valve disposed operatively in said passage and setting mechanism at a remote point connected to said valve, said setting mechanism comprising a standard, a counterweight supported slidably thereby and secured to the connection from the valve, a

scale on the standard, an index finger on the counterweight movable across said scale, and means for locking the counterweight in predetermined position in the standard to regulate the rate of flow of slurry through the discharge passage.

2. Apparatus for feeding slurry, including a tank, a discharge passage therefrom, a valve disposed operatively in said passage, setting mechanism connected operatively to the valve and comprising a standard, a counterweight supported movably thereby and secured to the connection with said valve, a lug on the counterweight, an-eccentric mounted o'nthelug, and a spring washer in operative relation to the eccentric and the standard I for locking the counterweight in predetermined position.

3, Apparatus for feeding semi-liquid material's,fincluding a tank provided with a discharge passage, a measuring vessel into which said passage empties, and a stop valve interchangeable between the measuring vessel and thedisch'arge passage to cut off the flow of material either through the measuring vessel orithrough the discharge passage.

I 4; Apparatusfor feeding semi-liquid materials, including a tank provided with a discharge passage, a measuring vessel into which the passage discharges, tapered valve seats arranged in said dischargerpassage and in the measuring vessel, and a tapered stop valve arranged to cooperate with either one' or the other of said valve seats, whereby the flow of material through said passage may be interrupted to permit cleaning of the discharge of the outflow passages or the flow of material through themeasuring vesselmay be stopped momentarily to ascertain the rate of flow.

Apparatus for feeding semi-liquid materials, including a tank provided with a discharge passage, a needle valve to control the flow of material therethrough, a cable from which the needle valve is suspended, pulleys over which said cable passes, a headplate secured to the tank and on which the pulleys are mounted, and a counterweight secured to said cable, one of said pulleys being adjustable on'the head-plate to change the position of the needle valve.

6. Apparatus for feeding semi-liquid materials, including a'tank provided with a discharge passage, a needle valve to control the flow of the material therethrough, a cable from which the needle valve is suspended, pulleys over which said cable passes,

head plate secured to the tank and on which the pulleys are mounted, and a counter-weight secured to said cable.

This specification signed and witnessed this 16 day of Sept. A. D. 1914:.

AAGE SCHRODER. Signed in the presence of- CHR. ENGELHART, H. P. PETERSEN.

Copies of this patent may "De-obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

I 1 Washington, D. G. 

